During the last week a lot of rumours were linking the Fijian international Antonio Tuivuna to return to his former club Labasa. The defender achieved many success in the club and was voted in 2019 the best player in the country.
But the possible deal with the Babasiga Lions is not going to happen; it was confirmed to Oceania Football Center the player is going to stay in Lautoka according to sources in the club.
Tuivuna – Fiji FA Media
Tuivuna played nine times for Fiji national team and scored once – he played the OFC FIFA World Cup Qualifying Tournament last year. The defender is one of the best of his position and the country and his stay in Lautoka is certainly very important for the club goals this season.
An All Whites’s member has a new team in Europe: the 20-year-old player Matthew Garbett joined NAC Breda on loan from Italian outfit Torino FC. Garbett’s new club currently plays the Erste Divisie, the second-tier of football in the Netherlands – the club currently sits 9th in the table this season.
“Garbett played in New Zealand in his younger years, including at Wellington. In 2020, he was transferred to Sweden’s Falkenbergs FF. After a year and a half in Sweden, he transferred to Torino, where he was part of the Under 19 team. Last October he made his official debut in the first team of Torino FC. He came on nine minutes before time in the Coppa Italia match against Cittadella“, said NAC in an official statement presenting the player – “With Matthew Garbett, NAC has a young midfielder who is comfortable on the ball. Matthew likes to look for the attack, but does not shy away from defensive work either; a so-called box-to-box player“, added in the statement.
Matthew Garbett – NAC Breda Media
It is also known there is an option-to-buy clause in the loan from Torino to NAC – the Dutch club can activate the clause at the end of the loan if they decide to make Garbett stay permanently at the club.
The most important football player of Vanuatu continues to play a key role for his club in Australian’s professional A-League; the central-back Brian Kaltak is proving his quality in his first full-pro experience – and already received a contract extension at Central Coast Mariners.
Kaltak was voted two games in-a-row as the best player of the Mariners in the pitch; according to the app Sofascore Kaltak’s the best-rated player of his team in the season so far – rating 7.24 of 10. Despite not winning the both last matches, Central Coast Mariners continue to impress in the season as they are playing very attractive football according to Australian media. They are ranked 2nd in the league, five points behind the top-placed Melbourne City.
Brian Kaltak – CCM Media
Due his very good performance so far in the season, the Ni-Vanuatu international was nicknamed by the fans and club media as ‘The Brick Wall of Gosford” – especially after saving a shot in the goaline few weeks ago – see video.
Brian Kaltak and Central Coast Mariners next duty is againt Sydney FC this Saturday (04th Feb) away from home.
It was announced by Port Vila Football Association that the former Henderson Eels wing-back and Solomon Islands national team member Prince Tahanipue is set to join local giants Galaxy FC. The player, that represented his country at the FIFA World Cup Qualifying tournament last year in Qatar, last played for Wynnum Wolves FC in Australia and is set to join the former Vanuatu’s national champion.
Tahanipue in Solomon Islands colours – Brian POV
The 28-year-old player was in Australia alongside other Solomon Islands that were playing for Wolves, notably Micah Lea’alafa and Atkin Kaua. The players were succesful in trials in Australia as the Solomon Islands national team prepared for the FIFA World Cup qualifying tournament in Queensland. After reaching the final but losing to New Zealand the spot in the FIFA World Cup Continental Playoffs, Prince alongside his compatriots returned Australia and joined Wolves.
It is known Galaxy already requested the wing-back’s ITC (International Transfer Certificate) to Football Australia in order to complete the deal. The transfer window in Vanuatu is set to finish on 12th February.
One of the most outstanding players of Labasa in the last season is going to join then Men in Black in the 2023 season of football in Fiji: Ratu Anare is going to reinforce the attack of Ba. It was today disclosed by Fijian FA that Anare applied to join Ba alongisde three other players: Mohammed Raheem, Gulam Rasool and Samuela Navoce.
Anare talked to Oceania Football Center about his transfer: “I just got transfered to Ba police station. It is going to be easier to me play here because I will be working already here“, said the player explaining the situation – “It is confirmed I will play for Ba“, added the player.
Anare (left) as Labasa player – Fiji FA Media
The 30-year-old player known due his pace played 15 matches last season for Labasa in the Fijian Premier League scoring three goals. The player also represented Suva in his carrer, already played 70 national league games in career.
There are good news for the Capital City Boys supporters! It has been confirmed by Suva FC’s Media today that the striker Bruce Hughes is going to return to play for Suva after a number of seaons represent Rewa. The striker achieved success in Rewa and can be an important addition for the team from the Fijian capital: “Suva FA welcomes Bruce Hughes back to the Whites camp. He joins us for 2023 and has gotten his release. The Suva FC family welcomes Bruce back to the Whites for another stint. He will be available for selection for the CVC this weekend“, said Suva in official statement.
Bruce Hughes – Fiji FA Media
This weekend Suva will be playing the first leg of the Champion vs Champion series in Fiji; and, of course, Hughes will be playing against his former club in the series. The OFC 2023 Champions League national playoff will also be played between Rewa and Suva, meaning Hughes will need once again to face his former teammates in a decisive series to determine which of the two teams will proceed to the O-League group stage.
The year 2013 was special for Tahiti and for the people of French Polynesia, the Tahiti team came to Brazil to compete at the FIFA Confederations Cup. For that, Toa Aito made history by winning the 2012 OFC Nations Cup by surpassing Solomon Islands’ hosts at the semifinal and beating rivals New Caledonia in the grand final.
That generation led by Eddy Etaeta had names like brothers Lorenzo Tehau, Jonathan Tehau and Alvin Tehau, – and also Teaonui Tehau, Nicolas Vallar, Mickael Roche, Steevy Chong Hue etc. That is surely one of the best generations of the history of Tahiti football.
After the OFC U-17 championship came to an end Tahiti failed to qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup, but in compensation can get a glimpse of what may be the future of the national team. Names like Titouan Guillemant, Keanan Faure, Argan Clodic-Boucher and Vaitea Seguy have made their mark in Fiji.
Guillemant, Faure, Cloudic-Boucher and Seguy – OFC Media/Colomiers Media
Vaitea Seguy showed himself to be a true organizer in the midfield, always dictating the rhythm of the team and being tough on the opponent in the defensive half. His goal against Fiji at the third-place match was certainly one of the most beautiful of the championship.
Titouan Guillemant will surely be in the Tahitian football news for the next years; the AS Tefana striker finished the OFC U-17 Championship as one of the top-scorers, scoring in every match. His runs from the right into the back of the defense surprised all defenses during the competition.
Argan Clodic-Boucher stopped everything he could, conceding only two goals, Tahiti had the best defense of the championship, much due to the performance of the Paris 13 Atletico goalkeeper who is another product of the excellent school of Tahitian goalkeepers that has names like Anapa Debruyne, Teave Teamotuaitau, Keahinui Heinis, Moana Pito and also Camile Giselle goalkeeper of the Tahitian women’s national team who plays professionally in France.
Keanan Faure dropped a bit in performance from the start to the end of tournament but that did not stop him from being elected by OFC best XI of the championship. A very good player on 1v1 situations and with passes that break defensive lines.
Other names also deserve to be highlighted such as the right-back Kanoa Barsinas – who showed to have excellent passing skills – and the midfielder Tiahiti Colombani who is only 14 years-old and already scored in two matches in the tournament.
We will probably see a lot of these youngsters in action next year at the OFC U-19 Championship and later in the national team. Those compose a group of very good young players – diamonds that Tahitian football need to cut.
Former Rewa rep and Fijian international Savenaca Baledrokadroka has a new team in Australia; the player recently signed for NPL3 side Beaumeris Soccer Club in Melbourne. This is the third club for Savenaca in Australia as the player already represented Frankston Pines and Doveton.
Baledrodroka, that represented Fiji national team seven times and also played for its U-23 team, moved to Australia in 2019 to join Frankston Pines. The player had a rapid rise in the local football as he is currently playing three-tiers higher than he arrived in Australia.
Savenaca Baledrokadroka – Beaumeris SC Media
Kevin Taylor, that coached Savenaca at Frankston Pines and is now currently in the technical staff of his new team Beaumeris SC, talked to Oceania Football Center about the current situation of the player in Australia: “Savenaca is doing very well. He’s definitely taking a big step in fitness” said Taylor.
The player might be in the radar of Fiji national team head coach Flemming Serritslev for the next duties of the Bula Boys as he is certainly improving his status in local football in Australia.
It is now official, Raphael Lea’i is now a professional player! The Solomon Islands attacker has signed a deal with FK Velež Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina first-tier division, making him the first senior player ever from Solomon Islands to sign a contract in European football.
“Football club Velež Mostar informs all its members, fans and friends of the club that Raphael Ohanua Lea’i Jr. has officially became a new player of our Club. In the presence of the director of the Velež Football Club, Sanjin Alagić, on Friday, in the official premises of the Club, and after a successful trial in which he met the criteria of Velež’s professional staff“, said the club in its official statement.
Raphael Lea’i signing his new deal in Europe – FK Velež Mostar Media
It is known the player signed a contract until May, 2024 with an option to extend the deal for another year, as stated also in press release by the Bosnian club. Lea’i had player previously friendly matches for the club and also started the last of them against FK Igman Konjic, also a first-tier team in the country.
The Vahirua family is one of the most successful when it comes to Football in Oceania’s history. Marama Vahirua achieved success in French football and played for Tahiti national team – especially at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup. Pascal Vahirua, Marama’s cousin, who was also born in French Polynesia played 22 games for the French senior national team.
Now his sons follow in his footsteps, Hirinai Vahirua plays for Gazelec Ajaccio and his daughter Hereiti Vahirua has been playing for OGC Nice since 2020. She has now received a call-up to be in the training camp of the Tahitian U-19 women’s national team that will take place between February 18th and 24th, which will serve as preparation for the OFC U-19 Women’s Championship that will take place in April – as released by the FTF.
Hereiti Vahirua – Nice Media
Tahiti’s list also features four players who were at the OFC Nations Cup: the goalkeeper Gelimma El Hadj Kaddour who has already played the tournament in 2019 when he was a starter at just 14 years old, the midfielders Kohai Mais, Krystal Vivish and the striker Hinavainui Malfatti – with the latter being along with Hereiti Vahirua the only two who currently plays in France. Malfatti was one of Tahiti’s best players in the OFC Women’s Nations Cup when she was the second youngest player in the tournament at just 15 years old. In a friendly against New Caledonia after the tournament she scored a hat-trick in Tahiti’s 4-1 win on that occasion.
The big loss for Tahiti will not be being able to count on the presence of Stéphanie Spielmann who has stepped down as coach position of the national team and youth teams after 5 years. She is now working with the Oceania Football Confederation to develop women’s football in the South Pacific.
Oceania Football Center 